Larry Fitzgerald has No. 2 all-time in his sights

By returning in 2018, Fitzgerald could reach No. 2 two all-time lists.

Author:
Jess Root, USA Today Sports , KPNX

Published:
9:44 AM MST November 19, 2017

It appears Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald will be back on the field for the team in 2018. He signed a new contract extension that guarantees if he plays it will be for Arizona.

The deal has up to $1 million in incentives, but it is tied to receiving yards only.

By returning in 2018, he could reach No. 2 two all-time lists.

The first, is almost a lock if he does return. He currently is in sixth place all-time for receiving yards in a career. He needs 869 yards to move past Tony Gonzalez, Isaac Bruce, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens and stand alone in second place. Considering he still has seven games remaining in 2017 and is on pace for more than 500 yards in those games, even a mediocre year in 2018 will get him there.

No. 2 all-time in receptions will be a little more difficult, although it will certainly be in reach. Fitzgerald is in third place currently all-time with 1,185 receptions in his career. He needs 141 to pass Tony Gonzalez.

With 60 through nine games, if he can reach 100 catches on the season, something he is on pace to do (he is on pace for 106) and something he has done each of the last two seasons, he will be exactly 100 behind Gonzalez. 100 more in 2018 would tie him with Gonzalez and 101 would put him in second place all-time.

Fitzgerald really only has one thing left to achieve in his career and that is a championship, but while he already has Hall-of-Fame stats in his career, standing alone in second place all-time in receptions and receiving yards will probably earn him a legacy of being the greatest receiver not named Jerry Rice.